The proper length of a shoelace depends upon several factors such as the style and size of the shoe to be laced. For example, a xe2x80x9chigh topxe2x80x9d basketball shoe typically requires longer laces than a xe2x80x9clow topxe2x80x9d shoe and a size 20 shoe needs longer shoelaces than a size 6 shoe. Even when two persons have the same style and size shoe, the personal preferences of the users often lead to different desired lengths of shoelaces. For example, a user""s preferences regarding how to lace the shoe and how to tie the shoe affect the proper length of the shoelace.
It is difficult for shoe manufacturers to supply shoes with shoelaces which meet all the preferences of the many different potential shoe purchasers. Shoe manufacturers often try to provide laces which are of a length that is a xe2x80x9chappy mediumxe2x80x9d between the longest and shortest lengths a customer may desire for a particular shoe. As a result, consumers are often faced with laces that are of an undesired length. This is not only an annoyance but can be dangerous if the shoes cannot be tied properly or are subject to coming untied, thus resulting in a tripping hazard or the possibility the shoelace may become entangled in machinery, a bicycle chain, etc. In addition, shoe manufacturers may lose sales of shoes due to improper shoelace length.
Currently, there is no convenient means by which a consumer or shoe manufacturer can readily alter the length of a shoelace, thereby allowing the use of xe2x80x9cone size fits allxe2x80x9d laces whose length can be adjusted, such as by a customer, according to the shoe style and size, the positions of the shoelace eyelets, the user""s personal preferences, etc.
Shoelaces are typically manufactured with aglets affixed to the ends of the string. The aglets allow for the convenient lacing of the shoe by decreasing the diameter of the shoestring ends such that they can be conveniently threaded through the eyelets of the shoe. The aglets also prevent the wearing and fraying of the ends of the shoestrings. Thus, if a user attempts to shorten the length of a prior art shoelace, such as by cutting off an excess portion of the string, the aglet is removed, thus leaving the shoestring unprotected against wear and making it more difficult to lace as well as leaving an unattractive shoelace.
A person may decide to purchase new shoelaces if the current shoelaces are of improper length. However, it may prove difficult to find laces which match the style of the shoe and meet the required specifications. In addition, if new laces are purchased the user must remove the old laces and insert the new laces.
Thus, there is a need for a shoelace whose length is readily adjustable and which allows for the adjustment of aglets.
The current invention provides an improved shoelace with adjustable aglets such that the length of the shoelace is readily adjustable, a method for adjusting the length of a shoelace, and an improved shoe incorporating the adjustable shoelace such that purchasers, of the shoe can adjust the shoelace length.
The apparatus of the current invention comprises an elastic string which is stretchable from a rest state to an elongated state. The string has a first cross-sectional area in its rest state and a smaller cross-sectional area when it is elongated. An aglet is positioned on the string such that a portion of the string resides within the aglet and a portion or portions of the string extend out from the open ends of the aglet. The inner surface of the aglet defines a receiving area or chamber for receiving the elastic string. The receiving chamber has an inner cross-sectional area that is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the string at rest.
When the string is in a rest state, i.e., not elongated, the cross section of the string that is not within the aglet is greater than the cross section of the receiving area of the aglet and the portion of the string within the aglet is compressed by the inner wall of the aglet. The aglet is therefore held in place on the string when the string is in a rest state.
When a portion of the string is stretched or elongated, the stretched portion""s cross section decreases such that is approximate to the cross section of the receiving area of the aglet. The aglet can then be readily moved along the elongated portion of the string to a desired position according to the preferences of the user. When the aglet is in the desired position, the string can then be returned to a rest state, thereby returning the cross-section of the string to its larger rest value and holding the aglet in place. The excess amount of string extending from the aglet to the end of the string can then be removed. Thus a shoestring of proper length having an aglet at the end is achieved.
In one embodiment of the invention, the interior of the aglet has ribs, catches, pins, or other means which restricts the movement of the aglet in one direction along the string while allowing the aglet to be readily moved along the string in the opposite direction or restricts the movement in both directions. Preferably, the aglet is placed near the end of the string and the ribs are positioned such that the aglet can be moved towards the interior or center of the string but not toward the end of the string. This allows for a wide range of adjustments of the string length while preventing the aglet from being completely removed from the string.
The current invention also provides a method for adjusting the length of shoelaces. The method comprises the steps of attaching the aglet to an elastic string where the string has a first cross-sectional diameter at rest and, as the string is stretched, the cross-sectional diameter string decreases such that it has a second smaller cross-sectional area. The aglet has open ends and defines an inner receiving area whose cross section is less than the cross-section of the string in a rest state.
The desired length of the shoelace is then determined. The string is then stretched, thereby decreasing the cross-section of a portion of the string including the portion within the aglet, preferably to a size approximate to the cross-sectional diameter of the receiving area of the aglet. The aglet is then moved along the portion of the string having the decreased cross section to a desired position. The aglet may be moved in either direction along the string, or the aglet may be limited to movement in a single direction by internal ribs or other means. After the position of the aglet has been finally adjusted, the excess string exterior to the aglet is then removed.
The current invention also relates to a shoe which is laced with the elastic shoestring and adjustable aglet and a method for adjusting the length of a shoelace after lacing the shoe with the string.
It will be understood that for simplicity the embodiments discussed below use the term xe2x80x9cdiameterxe2x80x9d and discuss the cross-sectional diameter of the string and cross-sectional diameter of the receiving area of the aglet. However, it will be understood that the string and the aglet may have various cross-sectional shapes and that the term diameter is used to mean the size of the cross section of the string and the inner receiving area of the aglet such that the difference in sizes determines the ability to move the aglet along the string.